1 Target of Death Read Online Free PDF Page B

money in the house somewhere,” I suggested.
    “Let us help,” Margarita said.
    When Marilyn nodded in approval, we all
went separate ways, searching through drawers, some of which were so packed
with envelopes that I sighed. How on earth was I ever going to find anything of
use here? I felt weird sorting through someone else’s mail. Most were credit
card applications and insurance papers. I pulled out one and carefully slipped
out the papers inside. It was an insurance policy for two hundred thousand
dollars payable to Clayton Percy as beneficiary. Before I had time to even
wonder if Marilyn knew that her husband had taken out an insurance policy out
on her, I heard a commotion coming from down the hallway.
    I ran down the hall, scraping my arm
against the rough texture on the walls. When I reached the open doorway, I
stumbled inside where I found Marilyn and Margarita struggling to remove a
large duffle bag from a top shelf in the closet. Dixie darted in and together,
we yanked the bag down, nearly toppling over.
    “Here, put it on the bed,” Marilyn said.
    “This bag is sure heavy,” Dixie said with a
rush of hot air from her exertions.  
    Marilyn yanked the zipper back and we all
gasped: it was stuffed full of cash. I lifted a stack of hundreds that were
held together with a paper band. I took a good whiff and choked out, “Jesus,
Jenny, this smells like dope.”
    Dixie’s eyes were all aglow. “How much
money do you think is in this bag?”
    “I don’t know, but it’s dirty money for
sure.”
    Marilyn cocked her head back. “Who says it
is? I’m so on easy street.”
    Had this woman lost leave of her senses?
“Look, we don’t even know where the money came from.”
    “So? It’s in my house and I’m claiming it.”
    “It smells just like dope, I tell you.
Don’t forget that your husband was just murdered.”
    “Yes,” Dixie gushed. “Whoever killed your
husband will be coming back for the cash, for sure.”
    “How can you be so certain?”
    “I highly doubt this money was your
husband’s life savings. I also can’t believe the tool and die place where he
works pays him this much money,” I added.
    “Sassy’s right,” Margarita said. “It might
be best to hide the money someplace safe until we figure out what to do.”
    “It’s my money and I’m keeping every last
dollar,” Marilyn said. “But you might be right about me hiding it.” She glanced
about the house. “I know what I’ll do. I’ll hide it where nobody will think to
look.”
    “We’ll help you,” I said.
    She shook her head. “No way. Why should I
trust you? I don’t even know you.”
    “Just in case, is all.”
    “Not happening, so scat, the lot of you.”
    We made our way back down the hall and I
retrieved the envelope, handing it to Marilyn. “Did you know that your husband
took out a large insurance policy on you?”
    Her mouth hung open for a moment and she
said, “No. You can’t be serious?” She pulled out the policy and her hands shook
as she read it. “I can’t believe Clayton would do such a thing, and without me
even knowing about it. Where did you find this?”
    I motioned to the kitchen cabinet. “In the drawer
over there.”
    “That’s Clayton’s drawers. He warned me
never to go through his things, or—”
    “Or what? He’d slap you upside the head?” I
asked. When Marilyn’s face paled, I regretted being so harsh. “I’m sorry. So he
was abusive, then?”
    She nodded. “Why else do you think I didn’t
say anything about him keeping me in the dark about our finances? Giving me a
paltry fifty a week for myself. I could barely afford a haircut and style at
Curls and Cuts.”
    “That’s the hair salon in town,” Margarita
added.
    “I figured as much. Do you have any idea
who that money might belong to?”
    Marilyn shook her head. “Not at all.”
    “Did your husband owe anyone any money?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    “How about debts?”
    “As I told you earlier, I really